“You refer to slave ownership?”
“Yes.”
“We’re a Christian family. There’s no place for owning humans in God’s eyes.”
“Not all see it that way.”
“You’re right.”
"We will have you and your workers over for supper tonight.”
“Much obliged, and Emmett will be happy to see you.” Eugene looks back at his son who, with a reddened face, tips his hat.
“Well, I’ll let you get to your work. I was just out for my morning ride.”
“You be careful out by yourself, Miss.”
“I will. Good day.” I wave and nudge my horse, prompting him towards our estate.
That night, we prepare a big feast for Eugene, Emmett, and the thirteen workers. Twenty of us—some African, some Asian, some South American, and some European—gather to welcome them. The humans stand shoulder to shoulder as introductions are made, huddling together for safety, I assume. I smile but feel guilty watching them in the presence of so many vampires. It amuses me to hear their heart rates quicken and see sweat forming on their brows, knowing they have no clue why. I rebuke myself in the next thought.
“So, how did you come to know these people?” Eugene whispers when we take our seats.
“We met them in our travels. Father made sure we saw every continent before settling in this new world.”
“He must be a very forward-thinking man.”
“He is indeed.” I agree, realizing I hardly knew my father at all.
I prepared some well-cooked steaks for our guests and serve rare ones to my people along with vegetables and fresh berries. Stephanie of France became our wine maker, and I’m grateful for her talents.
The weeks tick by, and we watch as small square structures go up on the Schmidt property followed by a large plantation home. When Mary moves in, we host her, Eugene, and Emmett for another big feast. Mary’s arm hairs stand on end, and her heart rate doubles as she enters our home.
“I’m sorry. We haven’t had time for decorating. I hope you understand.” I take her hat as she moves from the front hall to the dining room.
My comrades, our makeshift family, mill about the outskirts of the room in various conversations. Mary’s eyes cut between the groups of vampires, and she tightens her grip on Eugene’s arm. Eugene and Emmett have grown accustomed to the group, and their stress, indicated by heart rate and body temperature elevation, diminishes with each visit. In my brain, I catalog all this information for future use. Humans, after several exposures, relax and lesson their flight reaction even in the presence of constant threat.
We take our seats and begin the meal. Mambi serves the first course of meat, and I bring in the second of vegetables and fruits. All the while, we keep the wine glasses full.
“Dear.” Mary leans over during the dessert course of fresh berries and cream. “We have noticed Emmett’s affinity for you, and he would like to call on you tomorrow afternoon.”
I’m ready with my stock answer. “I’m sorry, but my betrothed died, and I’m still in mourning.”
“Oh, you poor dear.” Mary reaches out but hesitates, lowering her hand to the table. “I can’t imagine. I’m so sorry. But please, let me know when your mourning has passed.”
“My brother Jacob has been assigned this task in my father’s absence,” I tell her.
“Of course, forgive me, the lack of society here has left me with no manners at all.”
“That is far from the truth, madam.” I hug her for a second. “You’re so sweet to befriend me. It’s hard to be a woman in these times.”
“And yet you’re still just a girl, without her mother no less.” Mary cups her hand on my cheek.
I am a girl. Except for the night with Will, killing Chief Crow, burning the bodies of my slaughtered comrades in Asia, and witnessing my aman cara’s heart resting atop his chest, yes, I’m a girl without her mother.
Weeks pass, and our lives on the plantation become pleasant. We train to stay strong and keep our sentinels coming and going to assess movements of different tribes. As summer wanes we harvest our first season, busy in the fields by day and scouting after sunset. One night in early September, I run through the forest, hunting alone. The air seems to hang with moisture, and the forest feels thick with the heat held by the trees. It’s harder to discern scents on such nights, and sweat pouring from my brow, I become frustrated. Stopping, I sniff the air, reach out with my ears, let the vibrations of the earth pulse through my feet. My eyes dart this way and that, and I pick up a new scent.
Human, Emmett.
Seeing Emmett some twenty feet from me, I freeze. His eyes are fixed in my direction. “Anne, I know it is you.”
Heart thumping in my chest, I lower myself from the branch and pad to him. “It’s hours before dawn, what are you doing on our property?”
“I could ask you the same.” His mouth forms a smile.
“I couldn’t sleep.”
“How many nights a week would you say you can’t sleep?”
“Several. Why?” I ask, wishing I had the gift of a psychic or a witch’s mind control.
He broadens his shoulders and straightens his back. His eyes hold my gaze. “I’ve seen you in the forest. The others too.”
“What do you mean?”
“I know you’re not like us.”
“What exactly have you seen?”
“You nearly fly through the air, jumping from tree to tree. You race through the forest at amazing speeds. You take down a buck like he’s a fawn.”
“You must be dreaming, perhaps sleepwalking.”
“How do you become the beings you are?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t lie to me. I’ve been watching you for months. I’ve seen you sink fangs into a rabbit. Are you demons?”
“You’re not thinking clearly. Let me walk you home.” I motion west to his property.
“Is this why I can’t call on you because you’re not human? I sense that you like me.”
“You are a nice”—I almost say boy but think better of it— “man.” Fitting my hair behind my ears, I listen for others. I’m not sure how my comrades would react if they thought Emmett knew our secret. “Please, let me walk you to your property.”
He wraps his fingers around mine. “Your body temperature is higher than ours. Is that part of being what you are? You can’t eat sugar and like to eat animals raw. You have fangs like a snake, are fast as a deer.”
I yank my hand from his grip. “You’re not safe here,” I hiss. “I will escort you home. Please, I beg you. I’m not sure what delusions you’ve conjured up, but please right your mind before you speak of this to anyone.”
“Fine, I’ll let you walk me to our property. But know this, I have seen things, and I know I’m not crazy. I’m not going to tell anyone. I will keep your secret as long as you don’t hurt any of us.”
“You know we mean no one harm, right?” I peer into his eyes.
“It seemed like you were threatening me just now.”
“No.” I motion for him to follow. “Just warning you.”
“Will the others not like that I know?”
“No, they would not.”
“Then, it’s our secret.” He grabs my shoulders and presses his lips to mine. Backing away, he takes hold of my hands. “What you are doesn’t matter to me. I’ll be everything you need me to be. Just tell me you care for me, and I’ll do anything you say. We will be wed and have a beautiful family. I can make you happy.”
His grip on my hands feels uncomfortable, and I fight the urge to rip my fingers away. He’s such a dear soul. Being the savage that I am, I probably don’t deserve his love. “You misunderstand my friendship. Yes, I think you’re charming, intelligent, and nice. But we can never be more than we are.”
He shakes his head. “You’re wrong. Give me a chance to show you. Let me court you formally.”
“Even if I wanted that, and I
don’t, to be clear.” I slip my hands from his. “It cannot be. Do you understand? More families move here all the time. You will find a wonderful wife. I know it.”
Half of me is trying to convince myself Emmett is sleepwalking, and the other half screams that this can’t be happening, that I must be dreaming. Never in a hundred years would I have thought he would find out. The air must be heavier than we realize. Our noses aren’t working as well as they should.
He walks towards his property line, and I keep pace with him. At the border, he stops. “Please just consider my offer?”
“Emmett, go home, and you must never speak of this again.”
“I just want you to tell me what you are, how you are this way, why no one knows of beings like you. I want to know my world completely. To live with my eyes open.”
I think of something to satisfy his curiosity. “Maybe one day. For now, please go home.”
Dashing away, I jump into the closest tree and climb up high to make sure he makes it home safely. I watch as he walks up the path and inside, then swing from tree to tree until I reach our property. My mind circles with more thoughts than I prefer. Have I gone soft, lost my hunter’s senses? Should I tell the others about Emmett?
I close my eyes, and the cicadas’ buzz reaches near-deafening level in my ears. I open my lids. Taking in a deep breath, I close them again, smelling the damp soil and sap of the pines. Inhaling the humid warm air, thick with the smell of the sea, feels like breathing soup, and I release the air from my lungs. I focus on the flora beneath my feet, the grass between my toes. I look to a tree and up the trunk, to the stars in the sky, so dense, they look like a blanket of candles.
Perhaps the coast isn’t a good place for us. Looking beyond the house, I watch the grasses blow in the wind, the marshes giving way to the sea. I listen for the waves folding onto the beach, the gulls calling over the ocean. Being in one spot has made me complacent. I should have sensed Emmett watching. Letting my guard down was not smart. Why did I think Mother Earth would give me a glimmer of peace?
Am I really mourning for what I can’t have with Emmett? I know the answer before the thought finishes. I grieve for Alec and our lost lives. Having a home reminds me of everything I won’t experience with him.
A shrill whistle pierces the night, signaling something far worse than Emmett’s discovery looms. I shoot for the porch, nearly colliding with Jacob and Mambi. We enter the front room where Will and the sentinels from the north are gathered.
“What’s happened?” I ask Will.
“A group of witches landed in Massachusetts two days ago. The northern tribes prepare for war.”
“How many witches? Which tribes?” I look to my head sentinel.
“Five families. Nine adults plus younglings. The three tribes nearest their settlement think the witches should be rounded up and killed.”
“Why? We spoke of peace last we were there.”
“Stray vampires from Europe have joined the tribes. They tell tales of covens attacking vampires.”
“Unfortunately, all true.” I pace away, considering our best move. “We leave for the north tonight. Will, gather all the sentinels, send out word to meet at the cave in a month as we discussed. It’s time to band together. We must have a vote for peace before lives are lost. We can’t risk exposure.” I almost laugh at the irony of my words when a mile away a friend has learned of our secret. “If the tribes attack, then the witches may retaliate, and it won’t end well for anyone.”
Will sounds the call for the sentinels to gather. I bolt up the stairs to change into traveling clothes and grab my satchel. Opening the cabinet with my stores of venom, an idea forms. As large tribes that haven’t befriended us lie to the south, we’ve stock piled our venom in case of attack. It’s not a comfortable process, but after the incident with Chief Crow, and with unknowns in Florida, we don’t want to be left vulnerable. Slipping one bottle in my bag, I add an extra one to the pocket. Next, I make a slit in my wrist and let the blood drop into an empty bottle and slide it in beside the clear venom.
“Are you ready, Queen?” Will’s voice startles me.
“Yes.” I drop my dagger in the bag and grab sword. “I’m going to warn the Schmidts. I’ll meet you at the road.”
“What? Why?” Will follows me downstairs.
“I don’t want them crossing onto our land while we’re gone. You never know who may find their way here.”
“We have a good crew staying behind. They will watch for them.”
“I would rather they be warned.” I jog down the front porch stairs.
Will catches my arm. “Is this about Emmett? Do you have feelings for him?”
“No, you know I don’t.” I hold his gaze. “But I don’t want them getting hurt.”
“Fine, I’m coming with you.”
“That’s not necessary.”
“Jacob’s attention is divided. Mine will not be.”
“Fine.” I hike my bag higher on my shoulder and start to run.
“You should never have allowed him to marry.” Will keeps pace with me.
“What would you have me do? Tell him not to fall in love?”
“It should’ve been set from the beginning. You need guards who only think of your well-being.”
We reach the Schmidt home, and I start to scale the wall. Emmett’s window is open, and I jump inside. His head rests on a white pillow. With shallow, even breaths and a slow rise and fall of his chest, I guess him to be asleep. For a split second, I admire his form, the taut muscles on his chest and arms and the complete relaxation evident on his face. Then, I remember how many things could kill him.
“Emmett,” I whisper, shaking his arm.
His eyes open, and he bolts up. “Why are you here?”
“Everything’s okay,” I whisper.
“You’re leaving.” He grasps my forearms.
“Yes.” I slip from his grip. “I came to warn you. Please, make sure you, your family, and your workers stay away from our land. I can’t control who may come and go in my absence. Here.” I produce the two bottles from my satchel. “This, the clear one, is my venom. Soak it on a dagger and keep it handy. It will weaken one of us long enough for you to get away. But, don’t ever use it on a human. It will kill them.”
He blinks and takes the bottle and sets it on his bedside table. Then, he turns back to me and holds the other bottle up to the window. The moon’s rays produce a red hue inside the glass. “What’s this?”
“My blood. If someone gets hurt, it will heal them. There’s plenty there for whatever you need. Just a few drops are enough for a human.”
He sets the second bottle beside the first. In the next second, his lips are on mine. They are soft and cool, so different from when I kissed Will or Alec. Still, for whatever may have been, I will not give him reason to think we will ever be more than friends. I push Emmett away, and he falls backwards to the floor.
“You gave me your venom and your blood.” He jumps to a stand. “And you still pretend not to care for me?”
I shake my head. “I do care for you and your family, just as if you were my blood. Do you understand?” My eyes hold his. “Keep them safe. I must go.”
“Wait.” He grabs my hand. “You said you can’t control things in your absence, is that what you said? You’re the leader, aren’t you? Not Jacob like you pretended with my family.”
My smile spreads across my face despite my annoyance of his hand on my arm. “Yes. Keep your parents safe. I’ll be back in two months.”
Pulling my arm from his fingers, I vault the window sill and land on the ground. Looking up at the window, I see him peering down at me.
“I’ll be waiting,” Emmett says.
I shake my head and bolt to the trees where Will sits. “What was that?” He drops to the ground beside me. “About him waiting?”
“He’s delusional. Thinks he’s in love with me.”
“What you wouldn’t give for a witch right now, eh?”
>
“Maybe I like him.” I start to jog.
“But you don’t love him, aren’t in love with him.”
“No. They’re good people. I admire their innocence.”
“But not enough to love him.”
“I loved Alec. His memory stays with me.”
“Well, that didn’t feel like a dagger in my side.”
“I never did skewer you for killing him.”
“You know I’ll be making up for it the rest of my life.”
“I’m counting on that, my friend.”
We run through the night, reaching the first tribe south of Massachusetts at sunset. The motion helps me sort out my feelings. Part of me wishes I had the capacity to love Emmett. I wonder why I don’t. But then I realize we can never be equals.
I switch to tactical mode. It’s been a long time since I’ve had to think about politics, and I review our goals in my head. Will, Jacob, Mambi, and I wait at the border of the tribe’s land to be welcomed. Minutes later, a pack of warriors arrive to greet us.
One approaches. “You were quick. Thank you for coming. We don’t know how hard it will be to take out this threat.”
I step forward. “We should be clear. We’re not here to help you get rid of the witches. We want you to reconsider. Any move against them could draw attention and cause more problems.”
“We’re half a world away from any others. No one will learn what happened.”
“I don’t believe that. What if they are connected? We don’t know the full extent of their powers. Even if there’s no spiritual bridge, the news will eventually reach Europe, and their brethren will descend in droves. If two strong witches can kill hundreds of our kind, imagine what a coven can do.”
“That’s exactly why we need to burn them in their sleep.”
“What of the humans?”
“The witches are the only settlers for miles.”
“Can you take me to your elders?”
“Yes. I’ve been given orders to bring you to them.”
Our troop follows the warriors into the village, and the four of us enter the elders’ tent. Five sit around a fire—three in favor of ending the witches, and two opposed. We debate for hours before one switches sides, the fear of retribution winning him over.
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